Interlaced Occurrences
by MisguidedMishap
Summary: In an attempt to ensure the safety of Renesmee, an extremely gifted little girl, Professor Xavier and his team of X-Men find themselves in a much more complicated battle than what they expected as the supernatural worlds of vampires and mutants collide.
1. Foresight

_So, I know this is an absurd idea, but the plot is interesting and the ending is unexpected. I'm also already considering a sequel, depending on how well this goes over. So please, review after reading. Thanks much._

Chapter One:

"We'll be having some visitors tonight."

Alice sat up in her bed, staring ahead into the distance, a blank expression across her face. Jasper, his body curled around hers, delicately planted butterfly kisses along her neck, tickling her ivory skin ever-so-softly, seemingly trying to ignore that their early morning passion had been briefly interrupted by one of Alice's abrupt visions. He hated when that happened.

"Of course there'll be visitors, kitten." Jasper purred into her ear, his lips traveling downward along her throat once again. "Visitors are what parties usually entail."

"Shh!" Alice snapped quietly, trying to keep focus. "I can't tell whether or not they're a threat. My vision is blurry—maybe it's because of Nessie or Jacob—but I can definitely sense _something_." She sounded worried, but Jasper pressing his lips against hers suppressed her uncertainties.

"It'll be okay," he whispered, attempting to carry on their previous activities, "everyone will have a wonderful time. _I'll make sure of it_."

Smiling once more—whether it was because of Jasper's convenient gift or her own delight—Alice entangled her hands in Jasper's golden curls and kissed him compassionately once more.

*-*-*-*

Cerebro's chamber was especially frigid on this lovely September evening. Professor Charles Xavier had been dreading this visit to his old electronic companion ever since the mystifying visions had begun disturbing him during his sleep. It was a vivid, permanent picture painted within his mind now:

The setting was a foggy forest, with all sorts of power radiating from every which way. Xavier was unfamiliar with the kind of energy emitting from every direction—not quite a mutant, but definitely not a human. He had shifted through the possibilities, pondering the supernatural circumstances that surrounded him, but he'd felt nothing like this before. This energy wasn't anything particularly dangerous, but he sensed danger nearing it—which is what he feared the most.

As the Professor placed the cerebral helmet atop his head, he closed his eyes and mentally shut himself out of reality. The lights flickered off around him, and with a mental click, the machine was searching for the unknown power.

He didn't have to search far, because the image in his mind was perfectly depicted through the apparatus. In seconds, he found the lavish mansion hidden within the trees, and he saw the many sources of energy that were being produced from the surrounding area. Vampires.

However, he'd sensed vampires before. He knew instantly that along the Olympic Peninsula, in the quiet town that was Forks, Washington, a coven of civil vampires maintained a permanent residence there. He even recognized Carlisle Cullen's face; Xavier could have sworn that he'd met the young man once upon a time.

But what was this? Did he have a wife? A family? Surely Carlisle wasn't old enough to have children that age. He counted them—ten evidently younger beings surrounded the campus, and one—the youngest—exuded the wondrous power that he'd dreamt for so long. In his head, Xavier saw the potential that this young one exuberated—she'd be a perfect addition to his school for gifted youngsters. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who had noticed the child's capabilities.

As to answer his own thoughts, the Professor caught sight of two more sources of energy nearing the small town. He knew immediately that these new findings were that of danger, and that the psychic of the household—he thought he'd caught the name 'Alice' in the stir of conversations—had been worried sick as she was unable clearly to see the forthcoming peril. He had to warn them; he had to protect the little one. Surely this must have been what the visions had intended him to do. . .

But it wasn't that simple. A phone call, he predicted, just wouldn't do the job. Charles would go himself, taking a few members of his team with him, and confront the vampire family in-person. It was the only way to ensure the safety of the little girl in his visions—and the only way to protect her, if need be. He sensed that the vampire's wouldn't do well with a surprise attack from an unfamiliar enemy, even _if _they had a pack of unusually large wolves at their beck and call. He'd definitely have some questions to ask them upon arrival.

With that, Professor Xavier exited the chamber, his mind racing quickly as he sought the new leader of his X-men: Storm.

*-*-*-*

"Wait, so you're saying that there are such things as vampires?"

"Quiet down, Rogue."

Xavier had gathered four of his most valued students in the main study hall, explaining each detail explicitly, down to the very last specification. Evidently, the thought of blood-sucking mutants didn't go over too well.

"Sorry, sorry," Rogue answered, peeking out the door into the foyer to see if any of the passing students had heard. She sighed in relief, "All clear."

"We've faced greater enemies, my dear." The Professor said softly, folding his hands onto his lap. "Think of them as a unique breed of mutants. They're no different than any of us."

"_We _don't feed off blood, Professor." Kitty chimed in, folding her arms across her chest. She, too, didn't like the idea of traveling across the country to secure a house of blood-sucking strangers. Though she was surrounded by a unique selection of mutants herself, she could hardly recall any that needed to thrive off blood to survive.

"The idea may sound a bit absurd, but the Professor has high hopes for the small girl." Storm said toward her pupils—Rogue and Shadowcat—sounding knowledgeable, as always. Her constant wisdom was certainly something that had grown old to the two younger girls, who simply looked at her and then back to the Professor.

"Is she a mutant?" a booming voice asked from the corner of the room. Standing there was Colossus, the newest addition to Storm's team and current boyfriend of Kitty, wearing a fitted shirt and jeans, his massive structure contradicting the calm of the quiet room.

"Of sorts," Xavier answered truthfully. "I'm not exactly sure _what _she is. Cerebro itself is a little confused." He sounded entertained as he spoke his last sentence, his lip rising up in a slight smile. "Her energy readings are not that of a human—but also not of a mutant, either."

"I see," Colossus answered in his robust tone, winking at Kitty as he did so. None of the students particularly enjoyed this idea, and he sensed the fear in Kitty's eyes. "I'm sure whatever she is, we can handle it."

"She's not the one we have to worry about," Storm said to him, remembering the story that Xavier had shared with her earlier. "The Professor senses a different kind of danger. . . We seem to not be the only ones to have discovered the child's power."

"Storm is right." Charles spoke regrettably. "Cerebro's readings indicated two more forces traveling toward Washington. Unfortunately, their origins were unknown as well."

"Looks like you need to upgrade, Charles," said a rusty voice as the door of the study hall opened and Wolverine walked inside. He hadn't been too interested in the meeting at first, until he had heard the Professor speak of vampires and unknown threats. "What's going on in here?"

"I was discussing with the team about an upcoming road trip," chuckled Charles in response to Wolverine's brash humor at his super technology. Suddenly, a smile lit up his face. "Logan—please share with everyone your knowledge of vampires."

"How many times have I told you to stay out of my head, old man?" Logan retorted, obviously annoyed. He shook his head and let out a sigh. This was going to be difficult to explain.

"Well . . .?" Rogue was being terribly impatient.

"The Cullen's don't age." Wolverine began, running his figures through his thick, black mane. A series of shocked expressions lit the room, causing him to chuckle. "You'd think you all would be used to it, with me around."

"So you're saying that they have a healing fac—"

"Let me finish, damn it." Logan said softly, interrupting Kitty's question. "And no; they're not mutants. They're _immortals_." He crossed the room and took a long look out the window, exhaling heavily. As he turned to face the others in the room, he saw the looks upon their faces—fear.

So many memories of Logan's past crowded his mind, and among them was a trip to Italy that he'd taken years ago. He explained the existence of the vampire godfathers—the Volturi—and their power over the vampire population. Annoyance masked his tone as he discussed the abilities of the vampires—their speed, strength, and bloodlust.

"There are good vampires, though." The Professor spoke suddenly, reading Wolverine's thoughts once more. "Vampires like Carlisle Cullen; I remember him now. He's an old friend of Moira MacTaggert's, and he's made much advancement in the medical field. A good man."

"He and his family were said to have lived a 'vegetarian' lifestyle, according to the head hauncho's back at Volterra." Wolverine said softly, remembering again. "They said that we wouldn't have to worry about vampires around here—or anywhere else, for that matter. They'd take care of the ones who got out of hand."

"And so they have," said the Professor, closing his eyes. "That would explain the mere myth of their existence. I hadn't thought to research the idea myself. I hadn't even read it in your mind until now, Logan."

"Yeah, well, I keep some things in the back of my mind for a reason."

The two eyed each other darkly, the Professor attempting to understand the hurt behind Logan's eyes. When the vicious Wolverine's gaze looked away, not wanting to proceed the mental conversation with him, Charles immediately knew that this subject was entirely too personal. He now directed his attention to the rest of his students, who stood silent in their positions.

Breaking the silence, the Professor said, "However, I'm afraid that the enemies heading towards Forks aren't vampires, otherwise they would have been able to know about them beforehand. Some vampires contain special gifts, and one—Alice—is able to perceive visions."

"What, she can't see us coming?" Wolverine pressed.

"Alice can't see either of us coming—which would mean that our arrival would have to be very, very delicate. This meeting won't take long, but we have to make sure that nothing goes awry." The Professor answered, eyeing each of his students sternly. The three younger faces looked prepared, yet he sensed that they were all terribly afraid. He knew that the guidance of Storm and Wolverine was imperative.

"Well then, looks like it's time to fire up the ole Blackbird," Wolverine said, attempting to break the awkwardness of the situation. "I wanna get to them as soon as possible."

"This little girl better be worth all this stress," whined Kitty, slinking into the arms of Colossus.

"The girl is the least of my worries," laughed Wolverine, heading out the door. "I simply have a bone to pick with Edward Cullen."

*-*-*-*

_Pleeeease review! Feedback is vital. . . I'm eager to see how this idea is accepted. Thanks again!_


	2. Visitors

_So, for the few readers that I have out there, I just wanted to inform everyone that this chapter and the next one were supposed to be combined, but it would have been too long. Hence, I separated them, so Chapter 3 will be up pretty soon. Thanks for reading. Enjoy._

Chapter Two:

"Bella, would you stop fidgeting? You're going to be late!"

Alice was rushing through her sister's tangled, cherry-brown curls with a number of salon-worthy hair products, becoming more and more frustrated at the aloofness that Bella exerted.

"You'd think that after your transformation, you'd at least know how to work a curling iron."

Bella sighed as she attempted to apply lip gloss in front of Alice's enormous mirror. She sat in a chair in the middle of the bathroom as Alice prepared her for tonight's upcoming event: Angel Weber's engagement party. She contemplated ways how to get herself out of this mess.

"Is being late a problem?" Bella asked coolly, setting down the make-up in forfeit. She obviously wasn't going to look normal to any of her old friends despite how much she tried. "Better yet, is not even showing up at all a problem?"

"Of course it's a problem!" Alice replied, applying the finishing touches to Bella's hair. "You're the host, remember?"

"How could I forget?"

What was she supposed to do? Ignore poor Angela's phone call? Bella hadn't made many friends during her brief time at Forks High School, but among the few people that she did take a liking to, Angela had proven to be the most acceptable. She was quiet and unique—and to hear that she and Ben Cheney had decided to tie-the-knot after dating faithfully for a few years, even through hectic college life, Bella couldn't help but be happy for her friend. However, she didn't expect to be responsible for the couple's engagement party for their return visit back home. She'd been blessed with the uncanny inability to say no.

"Aren't you looking forward to seeing everyone?" Alice asked, her masterpiece now complete. She took a step back and viewed Bella's hair from all angles, beaming.

"Not really," Bella answered truthfully, examining her hair for herself; not half bad. "They'll never believe our story."

Alice giggled, thinking of the half-witted lie that the Cullen family had concocted for Bella to tell her guests when they saw her new look. "Technically, we aren't lying completely—we _have _been traveling a lot. And it's just like you, Bella, to fall off a steep slope while skiing in Aspen, requiring immediate medical surgery." She laughed again.

Bella rolled her eyes. "That sounds a bit _too much___like me." A small smile intruded her features.

"Oh, stop being so negative." Alice replied, exiting her bathroom/beauty-salon and entering her spacious room. "I don't see anyone who is noticeably unconvinced."

"And what about Renesmee? Your visions aren't always full-proof."

"That's a different story," Alice giggled once more, rummaging through her closet for something brand-new to wear. "She looks too much like Edward—Jessica Stanley will want to get to the bottom of it. Prepare yourself."

"Funny; I could have sworn I tossed her invitation into the fireplace," Bella sighed. She was certainly not looking forward to her reunion with Jess—she evidently hadn't changed much. "Oh well."

As Alice danced into a spicy cocktail dress that she'd found a mile into her wardrobe, Bella slugged on the outfit that she was assigned tonight: a simple, knee-length dress with corresponding heels. The party had been labeled as semiformal, so Bella hoped that her attire would be less delicate. She was still having trouble maneuvering within fragile fabrics. Guess Alice didn't get the memo.

After the two girls had finished readying themselves, they headed downstairs to join the rest of the family. Thanks to Esme, the entire house had been transformed into an elegant congratulatory spread, complete with foreign imports and authentic materials. She probably would have planned the entire wedding if she had the opportunity.

"Oh, Esme, it's wonderful!" Alice said as she admired her mother's work. She walked around the entire house, analyzing every detail.

"You too, Alice," Esme giggled as she twirled a strand of Bella's hair. "You did a wonderful job with Bella, as always."

Everyone's chuckles could be heard throughout the house, despite how low Esme's voice had been as she made the comment. If Bella could have blushed, she would have.

"You look amazing, dear." Esme said comfortingly, stroking her new daughter's cheek.

"I would have to agree," a velvet-soft voice said as Edward Cullen entered the area where his mother and his wife stood. "You should be used to all the attention by down, my love."

Bella wrapped her arms around her husband, nibbling his ear as she did so. His entrance had been the first thing to go right all day. Esme smiled at her two children as she exited the room, looking to join Alice to critique the decorations.

"You've got to stop leaving me alone with Alice," Bella whispered softly to him, "the girl is out to get me."

"_Hey! I heard that!"_ Alice called from elsewhere.

Edward chuckled, his laugh similar to the strum of guitar strings. "I'm beginning to enjoy Alice's little experiments. You look wonderful, darling."

Bella felt a flush of embarrassment surge throughout herself. She had never been well with flattery, and although Edward seemed to always know just what to say, she continuously had trouble coming up with responses.

"A simple 'thank you' will suffice," Edward chuckled again, reading Bella's facial features. She was still terribly predictable.

"Thank you," Bella breathed.

Edward pulled her in for a deep kiss, and Bella smiled to herself. His kisses never got old.

"Oh, get a room!" said a husky tone.

Bella turned to see Jacob, clad in a button-down collared shirt and a tie, his long black hair pulled back neatly in a ponytail. In his arms he held little Nessie, who was glowing in her silk dress and curled hair—Rosalie's doing.

"Hey, Jake." greeted Bella, taking her daughter into her arms. "Looking good!"

"No, mommy, he looks very _handsome._" Renesmee corrected her mother as she turned to look at Jacob. _Her_ Jacob.

"Thanks, kid," Jacob said, playfully tugging at Nessie's hair. As he let go of it, the butterscotch lock sprung back into its place. "You too, Bells."

Bella smiled, now flooded by potent happiness. To her right stood Edward—the love of her life. Jacob leaned against the wall, sticking his tongue out at Renesmee—Bella adored her best friend. And in her arms was little Nessie, the absolute center of her world.

It seemed almost unfair that all of these sources of enjoyment stood together in one room. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be so bad after all.

*-*-*-*

Forks, Washington was nothing less than spectacular—if even that—but the view from overhead was somewhat remarkable. Green forests surrounded the small, rural town, and a light rain showered the inhabitants below as Storm found a vacant space within the trees to position the Blackbird. The machine's cloaking device had been activated since the team had entered the vicinity, and only the slight _swoosh _of the trees could be heard as Stormed landed in a clearing.

"It's about time!" said Kitty, phasing through her seatbelt and standing up to stretch. Immediately, the Professor pinned Kitty back into her seat with the strength of his mind. He turned in his chair and gave her a severe look, immediately informing her that was a further complication.

The Professor spoke quietly: "Sit absolutely still. We have a visitor."

Though the others could not see it, the Professor could sense the young wolf outside of the jet. He was incredibly large—though not as big as the one Xavier had seen in Cerebro's projection earlier that day—and had sandy brown fur. He pressed his nose to the dirt, looking for a scent that was no longer there.

_I could have sworn there was something here a minute ago. . ._

Wait, where was that voice coming from? Xavier's eyes shifted to the window of the Blackbird, seeing the figure of the wolf move as it scoped out the surrounding shrubs and bushes.

_Man, I must be seeing things—or smelling them, at least. Ha ha. Jake would get a kick out of that one._

And then, another voice. A female one this time.

_Seth, your jokes suck. Go play in traffic._

_Yeah, I'm sure a minivan ramming into me will do a whole lot of good._

For the first time in a long time, the Professor was confused. He saw another wolf emerge from the trees—light gray, and smaller than its counterpart, but still massive nonetheless. There was no doubt that the voices he was hearing were coming from the two animals sniffing the clearing around the invisible Blackbird.

_Come on—there's nothing here. Jake wants us securing the perimeter of the bloodsucker's house tonight; says there might be some danger interrupting the party._ This thought came from the gray wolf as she jetted into the forest.

_Oh, alright. _The sandy brown wolf seemed disappointed that he hadn't found what he was looking for, but he mimicked his companion's gestures and also disappeared into the forest.

"All clear." The Professor's voice broke the eerie silence hovering within the Blackbird.

"Okay—what just happened?" Kitty was the second to speak.

The Professor shifted back to reality, forgetting that his students had missed out on the conversation that he'd overheard outside.

"More surprises," he said softly.

The others' gazes shifted towards one another—Colossus squeezing Kitty's hand tenderly, Rogue fidgeting a tad as he unbuckled her seat belt, and Storm's eyes widening in puzzlement. Wolverine was the only one whose face seemed just as serene as it had before.

"The wolves," he chuckled aloud.

"You knew about them, too?" questioned Xavier, looking at Logan. "How much _do _you know?" He excavated through the confines of Logan's mind, but found nothing. Wolverine had gotten awfully good at blocking him out lately.

"I know enough." Logan snapped.

"Well, then," Xavier said thoughtfully, now re-thinking his plans for the night, "it looks like we'll have to try a different approach." He wheeled himself toward the front of the Blackbird to gaze out the wide window that depicted the vast forest. "Rogue, are you up for a challenge?"

"Always," Rogue's answer was confident, though that wasn't at all how she felt.

"You'll have to be our decoy." The Professor was beginning to improvise as his previous plans had been thwarted as he'd overheard the wolves' conversation about an event at the Cullen house tonight. "Did you see the two wolves outside?"

"How could I miss 'em?—they were huge!" Rogue responded in utter disbelief, her southern accent a little shaky.

"They're mutants themselves," Wolverine said before the Professor could. "Most people call 'em werewolves—funny as hell, because they don't just change at night. They're free to transform as they please."

"Logan is right," agreed Xavier, turning to face his students once again. "Evidently, they're loyal to the Cullens. If they so much as sense our presence, they'll attack without warning. We'll have to take evasive action."

"Evasive action, meaning . . .?" Rogue was eager to see how she fit into this strange arrangement.

"You'll be attending a party tonight." The Professor smiled.

*-*-*-*

It was hard to believe that Angela Weber knew this many people. Everywhere Bella turned, there seemed to be a new face. Was that Angela's aunt?—they vaguely resembled each other height-wise, though she couldn't be sure. All Bella knew for certain was that the event had barely begun a mere half hour ago, and she was already contemplating suicide.

All the other vampires seemed to be enjoying themselves as they mingled with their unknown guests. Carlisle was quite the charmer—he allured many faces with his intellect and sense of humor. Esme rushed to and fro, refilling drinks and restocking the dinner trays. Rosalie and Emmett portrayed a normal, functional couple, and laughed with other people who looked their ages. Jasper stayed away most of the night, still struggling with his craving in such an overwhelming environment. He occupied himself by making sure that everyone in the house was happy.

"You're doing a great job, dear." Alice whispered under her breath, so low that only her siblings could hear. Or so she thought.

"Sorry, did you say something?" Jessica Stanley stood next to Alice, smiling widely, a glass of wine firmly gripped in her right hand. Alice's job tonight was to keep Jess busy in order to avoid any awkwardness between her and Bella. Thankfully, Jessica had began downing the wine as soon as she had arrived—briefly mentioning something about drowning her sorrows as she saw that Angela the book worm was somehow happier than her, even _with _that ungodly hairdo—and had spent most of her night talking non-stop about completely irrelevant topics, seemingly unaware of Bella's existence.

"No, I didn't." Alice replied to Jessica, forcing a polite smile to broaden across her small face. Jessica began babbling on about her life—men, fashion, and gossip seemed to be the center of their conversation. Alice sighed, now regretting mailing out Jess's invitation.

_Tell Bella she owes me _**so **_bad! _Alice thought aloud, causing Edward to chuckle from where he was outside. He and Bella sat together in a tree swing, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Alice is very upset," he said with a smile on his face.

"Good." Bella replied sternly. "She asked for it."

Edward laughed again, stroking Bella's smooth face. Though there were at least a hundred guests crowding their household, and Jacob and Nessie were playing quietly in the woods behind them, not to mention the pitter-patter of Seth and Leah encircling the perimeter—it felt as if they were alone. Just the two of them, just the way he liked it.

"Should we go back to the cottage?" Edward cooed, his brilliant smile almost blinding Bella as she looked up to see his face.

"That'd be wonderful—but I'm the host, remember?" Bella giggled sarcastically. Her equally brilliant smile flashed across her face.

Edward frowned, his bottom lip sticking out like a sad puppy's.

"Oh, stop." Bella said, now turning to face him.

Bella traced Edward's soft, ice-cold lips with her cool finger, following every curve precisely. He shuddered at her touch—not because of the frigid tingle of her finger, but because of the surge of desire that flooded inside of him. They needed to be entirely alone, right this instant.

_Come on, guys, not in front of the kid! _Jacob's thoughts rang in Edward's mind, causing his eyes to shift towards their daughter, who was now reading quietly to Jacob. Edward chuckled as he directed his attention back to Bella.

"Later, my darling," Edward whispered to his wife, kissing her softly. "We have forever, remember?"

Bella smiled, rolling her eyes. She fastened Edward's shirt back together, unaware that she'd been unbuttoning his clothing with her free hand. Sighing, she slunk back into place next to Edward, clutching his hand in hers, determined to keep things G-rated as the party continued.

Edward let out a sigh, too, before perking up as Alice and Rosalie rushed out of the house.

"Alice, what do you see?" Rose was frantically questioning her sister, who was staring blankly ahead, her mind scanning the future.

_No—no, no, no. That can't be right—damn wolves!_

Edward read Alice's mind as he and Bella rushed toward them, hearing nothing but a jumble of slurs and misconceptions, knowing that Alice couldn't exactly pinpoint what she was seeing. With Jacob and Nessie around, along with the abundant guests flooding indoors, she was struggling to get a vivid picture inside her head. But through the current radiating from her mind, Edward knew that Alice sensed _something._

"_Alice, tell me what you see."_ Rose growled to her sister.

"It's—I can't—"

Suddenly, Alice paused. She shook her head as the shock settled in. Without another word, she turned and faced the house.

_There's someone here. _ Alice jammed the thought into Edward's mind forcefully. _The visions I was having—they're here, they're here, they're here. . . _

Edward was confused at Alice's thoughts, and rushed to his sister's side to try and bring her back to reality.

And then the doorbell rang.

Despite the blend of music and chaos chiming from inside the house, each vampire heard the jingle of the doorbell. Whatever it was that Alice had sensed in her foresight was here, was waiting.

"Rosalie," Edward spoke softly, turning his head to face her.

"Yes?" Rose prepared herself.

"Get the door."

*-*-*-*

_Reviews?_


	3. Rogue Vampires

_Finally, Chapter 3 is up. Many thanks to all the readers—especially those that reviewed. You are all truly appreciated._

_Also, this chapter is sort of another set-up, but I wanted everyone to know that I especially enjoyed writing the scenes that feature both Rosalie and Rogue. Take it off!_

_Ha. Enjoy._

Chapter Three:

Carlisle's hand was on the doorknob when Rosalie suddenly appeared through the thick mass of people attending Ben and Angela's engagement party, an unreadable expression painted across her beautiful features.

"I've got it," Rose said, a worrisome tone coloring her angelic voice.

Carlisle gave his adopted daughter a look of confusion. "Are you sure?"

"Of course; Alice said so." Rosalie fought a smile. Carlisle nodded, and then returned to the guests as she quickly opened the door and slipped outside.

Rosalie smirked at whom—or what; rather, she couldn't decide which—was standing before her.

On the dim-lit porch, a quaint-looking girl stood daintily, clutching a small purse in her right hand. Rose scanned the stranger from head to toe—the girl stood about the same height as she, with a firm physical structure yet curved in the right places, similar to her own. Her hair spilled along her shoulders in a mess of scarlet-brown curls, a portion of her bangs streaked snow white.

_Nice dye job, _Rosalie thought to herself, lowering her eyes to see the jade-green sundress that complimented the pale girl's skin-tone. Her jewelry seemed coordinated enough, but why was she wearing gloves? And were those cowboy boots? _Tacky, _Rosalie let out another internal critique.

The girl standing before her was the epitome of a southern belle—too bad they were located in the Pacific Northwest.

_Overall, the girl is much less prettier than me._ Rose smiled to herself, now concluding that Alice's vision hadn't concerned this evident human specimen; she was probably just another guest.

"May I help you?" Rosalie questioned the visitor, raising an eyebrow. Though she was certain that this girl did not present any danger, she was still just as prude to any other passerby.

Rogue fought to keep her tone polite as she answered, "Yes please," overdoing the country accent as part of her disguise. She was already irritated with the blonde, and hoped—although she knew for certain that she indeed was, judging by her stunning beauty and icy white skin—that she wasn't one of the incredible vampires the Professor had seen. "May I speak to Isabella?"

Rose determined that this girl wasn't familiar with Bella as she referred to her incorrectly. She scowled as she answered, "_Bella_,"—pause—"is busy at the moment. Would you like to come inside?"

Rogue considered this, but quickly rebutted. The Professor's words—though he was miles away in the clearing—repeated themselves in her head: _Speak to Bella, warn her, and—depending on her response—we'll move on to our next position._

"No thank you," Rogue said too nicely after the thought. "It will only take but a minute—are you sure she can't come outside?"

Rosalie shifted her weight to one leg and placed a hand on her hip like she used to do as a human when people were giving her difficulty. Her slight movement caused the other girl to fidget instinctually, and a cluster of her scent flew into Rose's face. The foreign smell now danced inside her nostrils, unfamiliar, yet interesting; it was too delicate to be a vampire's, yet all too irregular to be a human's, despite the rhythm of her beating heart. Sweet and sour—what _was _she?

"Perhaps you need to speak to Angela? This _is _her party, after all." Rosalie pressed, now trying to decipher the foreign scent of the other girl.

_No one mentioned an 'Angela', _Rogue thought as she carefully worded her response: "You see, I have a gift for Angela, but I desperately need Bella's approval." She smirked, but was terribly annoyed. The Professor figured this would be an easy errand for her because she looked of age—wrong, wrong, wrong.

"I see," responded Rose, her voice full of discouragement. Her tone was firm and frightening, although it didn't do much to her counterpart. Perhaps this girl wasn't as innocent as she looked. "I'll just have Bella take a peek before Angela opens it. If she disapproves, we'll return it."

"Surely Bella can speak for just a sec," Rogue snapped, becoming flustered. She searched in her mind for ideas, but failed to find any that were relevant. Usually by now, the Professor would have intruded her mind, filling her with a superb script to recite. But he wasn't, and she knew something was wrong.

The game was over. "Who are you?" Rosalie asked in a deadly tone.

"Marie," Rogue spat back venomously.

"Funny—Bella's never mentioned you."

"She's probably forgotten about me; it's been awhile."

"Doubtful."

The two women eyed each other fiercely, an electrical current surging between them. The tension was now tangible in the air, and Rogue could read confusion in the blonde's face. She wasn't used to being challenged like this.

"Fine, have it your way." Rogue said, beginning to make her way down the walkway of the porch. She wasn't sure how to react, or what to say next, but the blonde couldn't be trusted. Maybe if she just made things easier, and flew around back. . .

Without another word, Rogue leapt into the air, mind racing, unable to think. She just had to find Bella—she had brown hair, and should be carrying a baby. But then, Rogue was on the ground again.

"_Oof!"_

As soon as Rosalie had seen the strange visitor jump into midair, and float upward—was the girl flying?—she'd catapulted herself off the porch railing and ascended toward her, determination burning in the blonde's eyes. Within an instant, she'd wrapped her arms around the other woman's waist and tackled her onto the ground, both of them landing with a thud.

Her thoughts jumbled, Rogue looked up in surprise at her attacker, who stood crouched in front of her. She could have sworn the woman was growling as her pearly white teeth flashed a snarl. She wasn't like the vampires depicted in the horror film she'd gone to see last Saturday.

Rosalie's eyes locked onto her prey, instinct now overpowering her entirely. If she was looking for Bella, she must want Nessie, too—they were a two-for-one package. Rose wasn't going to let anything happen to Renesmee; not on her watch, at least.

Rogue was standing now, facing Rosalie in a fighting stance.

"Look, suga—I don't have time for your games," Rogue warned, her eyes piercing Rosalie.

Rosalie smiled, shaking her head, as planned her next move. She took but two steps forward, and in a flash, she'd rammed Rogue with her shoulder with the force of a professional football player, knocking the southern beauty on her back. Rose now stood above her counterpart, smirking wildly.

"Who's playing?" her question was painted with venom.

Despite the confusion now flushing within her, Rogue wanted to fight. The plan obviously wasn't working, and the Professor wasn't updating her mind. There was nothing more she could do other than grab hold of the blonde's thick hair and fling her sideways as she lifted herself off the ground.

Rosalie's reflexes were quick—she hardly knew she was being tossed until she landed on her feet again. The two women then lunged at one another, fists flying.

Rogue's movements were strong and powerful, but Rosalie's speed was difficult to counter. The match-up was a close bout, but Rogue eventually got the upper hand as she caught Rosalie's leg in mid-kick, flipping it over the blonde's head and forcing her to perform a back flip onto the ground. Rosalie was shaken for only a split second, and then returned the favor by grabbing hold of Rogue's boot and thrusting her overhead in one swift gesture.

Rogue, of course, landed on her feet, but a massive fist greeted her when she turned to face her opponent once more. The punch was deafening—it felt as if she'd been struck with a cinderblock. In that one second of puzzlement, Rosalie took hold of Rogue's arm and thrust her into a nearby tree. The thud of the trunk against Rogue's frame was loud; for the first time, Rose noticed that the two women had taken their fight into the forest.

Taking a fistful of Rogue's hair, Rosalie turned the woman's body and pinned her against the tree, her instincts still in full control. Rogue's vision was blurred as pain electrified her body, and she struggled to stand erect, her only support being Rosalie's menacing fist entwined around her warm neck.

"Whatever you are—_you're still human._" Rosalie said maliciously.

The anger that brooded inside her caused her to forget her surroundings entirely. In this very moment, she was no longer a vegetarian—she was a thoroughbred carnivore. The blood that flowed within her prey's veins was utterly irresistible. . .

Without another word, Rosalie pressed her lips to Rogue's throat.

*-*-*-*

Rogue's throat was burning.

Her head was spinning and her thoughts were incoherent—all she knew for certain was that it _burned. _ Her mind searched for things similar to the sensation she felt now inside her throat, scavenging throughout the memories of past encounters with other mutants and people, but she found nothing that could compare to the brilliant sting that tore throughout her lungs.

Rogue's sight was blurry, incapable of focusing on the images that surrounded her now. She felt rabid, uncontrollable—like a predator.

A brief glimpse of a blonde woman convulsing on the ground at her feet caused the previous scene to be thrust back into Rogue's mind forcefully. If it weren't for the unfathomable fire that loomed inside her, she would have been suffering from an equally painful headache.

The sight was replayed in slow motion, the final scene ending in the delicate kiss Rosalie placed on Rogue's neck. At first, Rogue allowed a smug grin creep along her features, knowing that even in her weakened state the vampire would suffer from the contact with her skin. But in that same instant, Rogue felt fire ignite inside her throat as her opponent—a faded memory said that her name had been 'Rosalie'—slumped onto the ground, gyrating wildly at the shock of Rogue's touch.

The present was suddenly much more vivid than the past, although she did not know why. Her eyes seemed to lock into places that she didn't even knew existed—the small skeletal structure of a leaf that, even in the darkened forest, shimmered brightly with detail. And despite the ember that danced along her tongue, her skin felt ice-cold.

But the most prominent enhancement was surely her sense of smell. Rogue's eyes widened as she turned to face the house that she and Rosalie had stumbled away from during their bout. Hundreds of delightfully appetizing aromas filled her nostrils, teased her craving. Even in her muddled sate, Rogue could recognize the metallic scent that toyed with her senses. Now, however, the metallic pang was utterly and inescapably _sweet_.

Rogue took a step forward, catapulting herself off the ground in one swift movement. Soon she flew above the trees, her senses guiding her back towards the house.

She needed blood, and she needed it _now_.

*-*-*-*

This time, Emmett got the door.

The only difference was that there wasn't an actual knock at the door this time—instead, it was flung quite forcefully through the house, and in the doorway stood a monstrosity like no other. Eyes widened as some of the party guests saw what had just happened, but Jasper quickly got them all in a warmer mood, which helped them conclude that it was all just theatrics, and that the Cullen's had a niche for entertainment and throwing wonderful parties.

As Carlisle and Esme distracted the guests, Emmett approached the danger at the door.

The deranged beast that attacked him came in the form of a beautiful woman—the shimmer in her crimson-red eyes immediately told him that she was a newborn.

Emmett was unsure what had happened when Rosalie sped through the house just minutes before, convincing Carlisle that the door was for specifically for her, but he was observant enough to know that something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

_Edward!_ Emmett's thoughts were almost as loud as his whooping voice, his mental tone strained as he defended himself against the wild woman who challenged his might. Her attacks were swift—almost as if she'd practiced fighting before—but his strength was beneficial, as always. He managed to get her out of the perimeter of the house and the humans, cornering her in the thick trees once again.

In a matter of seconds, Edward, Bella, and Alice had arrived to view the remarkable scene that was being played out before them. Leah and Seth could be heard watching closely from the woods. They quickly headed around back to keep a closer eye on Jacob and Nessie.

"A _newborn_?" Alice spoke aloud, although her question was mainly directed to herself. _Why couldn't I see her, then?_

"I don't know," Edward answered his sister's thoughts as he leapt forward to restrain the savage woman attacking his brother.

Skillfully, the two brothers apprehended their visitor and forced her onto the grounded. She writhed uncontrollably, fidgeting wildly, but Edward cooed something in her ear that made Bella especially infuriated.

"The hell if I won't hurt her," Bella said acidly, folding her arms. She didn't like where this was going. Edward shot her a pleading glance, but Bella was unconvinced. "This woman has come to hurt our family, to hurt _our_ _daughter._"

Before Edward could respond, Emmett leapt up suddenly and they all watched him as he dashed into the forest.

"Rosalie," Edward spoke calmly, now redirecting his attention to the apparent newborn. As Emmett came back into sight, Rosalie in arms, Edward suddenly realized something as well. Alice heard, too.

"Her heart is still beating," they said in unison.

And then lightning struck.

*-*-*-*

_Okay, in the next chapter, everyone will meet. Enticing, isn't it? Ha. _

_Once again, I want to thank my readers. I'm glad that there are still people among us who enjoy absurdities just as much as I do._

_Please review this chapter. All of your thoughts are inspiring._


	4. Mystified

_I apologize for the delayed update. . . But I'm back now, and the next chapter will be up soon! Many thanks to all of the reviewers—you guys are what keep me writing! Hope you all enjoy this one, and don't forget to review after reading. Any kind of feedback is welcome. Thanks again!_

Chapter Four:

The lighting came quick, fast, and strong—and it didn't stop. It was like a severe thunderstorm, minus the rain and thunder. The vampires were unaware of what was happening, but Edward sought through the mass of voices that surrounded him now, and caught someone . . . familiar.

"Logan."

And then the lightning stopped, and everything was just as it was before—not including the rabid newborn vampire and Rosalie still shivering in Emmett's arms from the shock of her previous encounter.

Alice was panicking. _I want to know what the hell is going on._

Edward nodded silently, and turned to face Bella. "Everything is okay, my love. Please retract your shield."

Bella reluctantly did what she was told, although she was still unsure why Edward had suggested she do this. Ever since Alice had sensed the threat's danger at the door the first time, and had sent Rosalie to answer it, she'd stretched her shield out as far as she could, over the whole house and all of its happily distracted guests. Now, it snapped like a rubber band as she coiled it back to herself.

But her attention was quickly gained elsewhere as they came. They came quickly and silently—eerily, almost, as they walked forward, unafraid and determined. They could have resembled the Volturi, in a way, if they had all been wearing long robes and had piercingly white skin. They each were beautiful, in their own, mortal way—and their heartbeats were steady and rhythmic. But Bella knew that these were no ordinary humans.

The five mysterious beings came forward—the group was led by a wolfish-looking man, with extended metal claws that shimmered in the darkness. His eyes were focused, but not angry (at least not yet). For some reason, Bella knew that he wasn't the leader. The aura that was emitted off of the man in the technologically advanced wheelchair, despite his fragile state, radiated colors of strength and intellectualism. _He_ was the leader.

The woman with the icy white hair and beautifully shaded skin was an obvious second-in-command, her face strong and intimidating. The other visitors—one a short brunette with evident intelligence and the other a muscled giant that easily matched Emmett's brawn—were more subtle than the others, an unreadable expression upon both their faces. Despite this, they all were still painstakingly beautiful. Bella was intrigued.

When they finally stopped merely a few feet away from Edward, everything fell silent. Even the ongoing party inside the house seemed to hush at this meeting of the supernatural.

Though Edward and the Professor had been communicating with their minds, Wolverine was the first to speak.

"Well, well, Eddie—it's been awhile." He mused.

Edward snarled at the nickname, and answered sharply, "Yes, it's been a very long while. I'm surprised you're still alive."

"It's hard to get rid of someone like me," Wolverine chuckled. He slid his metal claws back into place, intently watching the surrounding vampires as they watched him. "We mean no harm."

"I'm aware," Edward replied, annoyed. He turned to his family and saw the utter confusion along their faces. Emmett was the most confused—he looked both betrayed and infuriated, all at the same time.

_What the hell, Edward? What's happening?_ The tone of Emmett's mind was anointed in pain.

"Get Rosalie inside," Edward directed, "and have Carlisle come here, please."

Emmett listened to his brother and carried Rosalie inside the house, slurring profanities within his mind. Carlisle returned in an instant, his calming aura illuminating the stress between everyone outside. He and the Professor exchanged warm smiles, and the tense atmosphere seemed to vanish. No one seemed to notice that Jasper had come outside, too.

"Xavier! It's been years." Carlisle and the Professor met halfway, closing the gap between vampire and mutant, as they shook hands.

"It has indeed." The Professor said in a friendly voice. "How are you, my friend?"

"I am doing very well." Carlisle answered. "Have you spoken to Moira lately?"

_Edward! Give me answers—now. _Alice was frustrated, despite Jasper's presence. _Why is Carlisle shooting the breeze with the guy who attacked us?_

"Alice, it's rude to interrupt," Edward said silently, loud enough so only the vampires could hear. Carlisle turned, hearing their conversation, and chuckled.

"I thought I've taught you both better than that," he mused; now turning back to the Professor. "Forgive me, Charles, but this is my family—Edward, Bella, Alice, and Jasper."

The Professor nodded his head and smiled his age-old smile.

"I am Professor Charles Xavier; it's very nice to meet all of you." He then turned his chair so that he faced his own 'children'—the X-Men, who stood opposite the vampires with an equally confused expression across their features.

"Allow me to introduce my team of gifted students—the X-Men." He gestured his hand in a proud manner, as if displaying some sort of award-winning experiment. "This is Storm, Wolverine, Shadowcat, and Colossus—all code-names, of course."

"We are pleased to meet all of you," Carlisle answered to the X-Men, smiling politely. "But it seems as though we've encountered another one of your students—"

"Rogue," Xavier chuckled softly.

Suddenly, the newborn vampire's head lifted up off the damp ground, her eyes becoming soft.

"Rogue, _control your power._" The Professor's words were fierce.

But the girl obeyed. All eyes watched as she slowly pulled herself up off the ground, her body relaxing and her eyes growing a somber color. Within minutes her acquired bloodlust had vanished as she joined her teammates. She still seemed a little taken aback, though, as she turned to face the vampires who seemed to share the same expression.

Alice threw up her arms in disbelief.

"Will someone _please _tell me just what the hell is going on?" her voice broke through the awestruck silence. "Carlisle, you know how angry I get when I can't see what's ahead of us—and these people are blocking out my sight entirely!"

"I agree, my friend," Xavier said quietly, exchanging a glance with a requited Alice. "I must explain to you my intentions of coming here and disrupting your gathering—I have some very unsettling news."

Edward cringed, his entire body stiffening as he read the Professor's thoughts.

Carlisle nodded as he took in Edward's expression, his face now serious.

"Very well then," he said quietly. "Allow my family and myself to rally the guests and tell them that the party is over—and then we can all discuss the matter inside."

*-*-*-*

Jacob and Nessie seemed to be completely oblivious to the happenings inside the house as they continued playing on the back porch. Jake lounged along the wooden porch swing, his eyes carefully watching Renesmee as she collected rocks and inspected them with utmost curiosity. He smiled as he took notice at how pretty she looked, even after messing up her perfectly curled hair and dirtying her dress. The pitter-patter of Seth and Leah could be heard nearby.

"Hey, Seth!" Jacob was bored out of his mind; might as well check and see if anything interesting was up. The sandy brown wolf appeared from the woods, his eyes intense—almost like he was bothered. "Is your sister being difficult again?" Jacob guessed.

Seth's wolf-form shook its head. A flicker in his dark, canine eyes told Jake to hold on as he returned to the forest. In seconds, Seth reappeared in his human state, his dark hair tousled and his body absent of any clothing other than a tattered pair of shorts. Nessie ran up to greet him, embracing his massive leg in a warm hug.

"Hey, Jake." he greeted sullenly. "Hi, Ness."

"You look upset," Jacob replied sternly. "Something the matter?"

Despite how fast Seth was aging, he was still just a kid—and Leah sometimes seemed to forget that. Jacob tried his hardest to look out for the little guy—he chuckled at the word 'little' being used to describe Seth in his mind—whenever Leah's wrath ensued. Even Renesmee looked worried.

"Kind of," Seth answered ruefully, kicking the dirt with the foot Nessie wasn't attached to. "The blonde vamp got attacked by a newborn out front—only, I didn't sense anything. She didn't have a specific scent or anything. It was a little sweet, but not sweet enough to be a vampire." His features arranged themselves into a fixture of puzzlement.

"Sounds strange," Jacob agreed, contemplating Seth's explanation. "Were you close to the house when this happened?"

"A few hundred feet—I could hear the blonde and the other vamp going at it. O'course, I didn't know the other girl was a leech at this point—like I said, her scent wasn't special. Anyways, Leah is blaming me for letting her get too close. She can come up with some pretty mean stuff in that head of hers." Seth sighed.

"Yeah, I know." Jake laughed, picking up his beloved Renesmee and hugging her tightly. "I'm just glad that rabid parasite didn't get you, Nessie." He gingerly touched his finger to her button-nose.

"That's not very nice," replied Renesmee in her delicate voice, her eyes scrutinizing Jacob's features in evident disapproval.

Jake chuckled again. "Okay, okay—the rabid _vampire._ That better?"

Nessie nodded.

Jacob now redirected his attention to Seth, who still looked upset.

"Hey, kid—don't worry about Leah. She'll get over it." He reached over and patted Seth's shoulder. Seth smiled weakly at the gesture. "So how's Blondie? She okay?"

"Ask her yourself." Seth said with a grin.

Jake turned to see Rosalie standing in the doorway of the sliding backdoor, looking happier than usual. She had exchanged her party attire from earlier this evening to a more casual outfit, but still looked stunning. She even smelled a little different.

"Speak of the devil!" Jake crowed, flashing Rose a joking smile.

Rose rolled her eyes, stepping toward Jacob and Nessie apprehensively. She shot Seth an uninterested glance and held out her arms for the child.

"Come here, sweetie," she said quietly, smiling now.

Renesmee emptied herself from Jacob's arms, willingly clinging to her aunt Rose. "How are you feeling?" She asked with obvious concern.

"Better than ever," Rosalie replied absentmindedly. "That was some party."

Jake scrunched his eyebrows. "Boy, that newborn must have ripped you a new one—are you suffering from amnesia, Blondie?"

Rose looked confused. "What are you talking about, mongrel?"

"Hmm," Jacob hummed, exchanging an entertained look with Seth, "guess you're not feeling much like yourself, huh? Wish I could've seen that vamp tear you up!"

Rosalie looked annoyed. "You're an idiot. I'm taking Renesmee into town for a bit. We'll be back in a few."

"Wait—what? It's almost her bedtime; you're not taking her anywhere." Jacob replied authoritatively.

"Oh, calm down. Bella, Alice, and I are taking Jessica Stanley home—we're hoping the car ride will put Nessie to sleep." Rose smiled innocently.

Jacob hated to have Renesmee apart from him, but he decided that it would be a good time to check in with the rest of the pack. "Alright, I guess that's fine. See you in a bit, kid." He leaned forward and kissed Nessie lightly on the forehead. "Don't do anything stupid." He instructed Rosalie.

"Take your own advice, canine." She spat back, hugging Nessie closer to her cold frame. As they rounded the corner of the house that led to the garage, she turned to give the two teenaged werewolves another acidic look.

Jacob swore that for one moment he saw Rosalie's eyes glow a menacing yellow color.

"Vampires," he huffed, and ran into the forest alongside Seth.

*-*-*-*

When Jacob returned only but fifteen minutes later, the house was still crowded with guests. Only, these guests weren't anything like the previous ones at the party—in fact, these guests weren't even human at all.

He walked into the living room to see a colorful array of characters crowded on the couches and loveseats. There was a tall woman, talking to Esme, an older man in a wheelchair speaking with Carlisle and Edward, and three would-be teenagers conversing with Bella, Alice, and Jasper. Emmett and Rose must still be out with Nessie.

In the back of the room, propped against the wall, was a short man with a cigarette in his mouth. He stood out amongst the guests, looking utterly unconcerned, reaching into his black leather jacket every so often to pull out another cigarette from its package. Jake wasn't sure who these people were, or what business they had here, but they looked entertaining. He took a seat next to Bella on the couch, a smile spread across his face.

"Hey, Bells—who're your new friends?" He asked with obvious interest.

"Hey, Jake." Bella returned the smile. "These are some of Carlisle's old friends—but, where's Renesmee? I've been dying to let her meet them."

Jacob felt the confusion on his face. "Uh. . . Isn't Nessie with you?"

"Of course not, Jake," Bella laughed. "She never leaves your side."

Jacob's voice grew shaky. "Yeah, but Rosalie came outside earlier before I went to go run with Seth—she said you guys were taking someone home, and that the car ride. . . "

Jake trailed off, now realizing that all eyes were on him. He turned to meet every frightened gaze as he broke his sentence off to stare right back. Panic painted Bella's features as she looked into Jacob's eyes, her mouth open in awe.

"Jake, Rosalie is upstairs. . . She got hurt. . ." Bella's voice was barely a whisper, but everyone could hear it in the silence.

"I figured that's why she was acting different. . ." Jake replied softly.

"_Oh. My. God."_

Alice's voice broke the silence as she sat frozen from where she was on the recliner, her fingers massaging her temples forcefully in her attempt to focus. Bella rushed to her side, a worried expression now on her face, as the rest of the vampires followed suit.

Jake was still confused. "What's going on?"

The voice that answered him was unfamiliar, but entirely knowledgeable, as the man in the wheelchair responded:

"An imposter."

The word made Jacob begin to convulse angrily as he felt the blood heat throughout his body. _How could I let this happen? _He scolded himself, shaking uncontrollably as he headed toward the front door. The faces around him began to blur as the jolts grew more intense, and he tried to brace the wall for support.

"But. . . She didn't smell . . . different—"he coughed out between vibrations, still struggling to keep from phasing.

"How could you let this happen?" Edward growled from elsewhere in the room, his voice drenched in fury. "Alice, can you see Renesmee? Do you know where she is?"

"She's—I can't—"

"Carlisle, I urge your daughter not to strain herself—I'm afraid to report that the Rosalie that fooled Jacob is a mutant, like us." The Professor's words were hardly helpful, but everyone's attention was now directed on him. "She is a shape-shifter, and can alter herself to appear as anyone—both human and non-human alike."

"Mystique," the tall, white-haired woman said achingly—Jacob cringed in infuriation as she spoke the captor's name.

"I knew I smelled something foul," the man against the wall called out, extending his metal claws. "No worries, Eddie—we'll take it from here."

*-*-*-*

_Reviews, anyone?_


	5. Awareness

_Hey readers! I appreciate the reviews for the last chapter. You guys are great. _

_So, a few updates—I realize that I keep changing the category from "X-Men" to "X-Men: the Movie", but I've decided that there are so many different versions of the X-Men that I'll keep it categorized in the comics section. I visualize all the characters (Twilight included) as they appear in the movies, though—hope that doesn't confuse anyone._

_I also want to thank __**RogueNya**__ for providing a killer line for this chapter. Hope you don't mind that I used it. I apologize for the delayed update, but this chapter should be a bit more interesting than previous ones. I hope you guys like where I'm going with this. If not, let me know in your reviews! Thanks, enjoy._

Chapter Five:

"Psi, Sigma—what are your coordinates?"

"We have located the targets—it seems that they've acquired some assistance."

"No matter; destroy them all."

"Affirmative."

*-*-*-*

Despite the ongoing chaos, the mutants and vampires managed to separate themselves into three different teams: Bella, Edward, Carlisle, the Professor, Kitty, and Storm were to travel in the Blackbird and immediately locate Mystique's whereabouts; Emmett, Colossus, Rosalie, and Rogue (neither of which were exactly pleased with their assigned teammates) were to travel northeast, toward Port Angeles, in case of any further threats; Esme, Alice, and Jasper were to remain at the Cullen residence and—along with the help of the Quileute pack—ensure the safety of Forks.

Jacob and Wolverine refused to cooperate.

"I am _not _staying here while you go out and play hero, Edward!" Jacob shouted, fighting back the tremors that shook through his body.

"You've already caused enough damage, Jacob. Please don't make this anymore difficult than you already have."Edward replied quietly as he tugged on his black parka. It was taking everything inside of him not to lung forward and hush Jacob. Forever.

Bella stood next to him, her eyes full of fright and determination. "Listen to him, Jake. Just stay here with the pack." She said quietly, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"But—"

"You're coming with me, kid." It was Wolverine who spoke this time. He was headed toward the garage door, pulling on his leather jacket.

"Logan, it would be best if you came with us," intervened the Professor from his place across the room. The living area had been divided accordingly by team, and Storm stood behind Xavier, a pleading look among her face.

"Not this time," replied Wolverine, deeply inhaling the room's aroma. "Something just doesn't feel right. We shouldn't be endangering everyone like this. You coming, kid?"

"Logan, endangering your own life along with Jacob's is none the braver." Xavier retorted.

"We're the most durable."

"That's debatable."

Wolverine eyed Edward intently, hearing the double-meaning behind his comment. Inside his head, Wolverine growled at him: _This is not the time nor the place, bub._

Re-directing his attention back to the Professor, Wolverine audibly spoke now, "Charles, you know how to reach me. I'll contact you if me and the kid find anything—and I have a feeling we will." With that, he was out of sight. The faint hum of Edward's motorcycle could be heard from within the garage.

Jacob looked at Bella, and then at the open garage door. He decided that he couldn't just guard the perimeter while his dear Nessie was in trouble. He _had _to find her. Without any further thought, he followed behind Wolverine.

*-*-*-*

"This technology is amazing, Charles." Carlisle said with great interest as he seated himself on the Blackbird. Bella and Edward occupied the two seats across from his own, their hands entwined together.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to leave Alice behind?" questioned Edward, giving his father a puzzled look as the tall woman with the white hair lifted the aircraft off of the ground with ease. She sat at the front of the ship, along with the dark-haired girl called Kitty, adjusting the plane's controls.

"Yes, Edward." Carlisle replied softly. "Alice needs some relief from all the confusion that our new friends have caused her, and Forks needs protection." He laughed lightly now, smiling, as he continued, "I don't see why you ask questions that you already know the answers to."

Carlisle's attempt to lighten the mood was in vain as Edward answered worriedly, "I'm in need of some reassurance."

"Edward, everything will be fine. We've gotten through so much already—I assure you that we'll get through this." Carlisle said thoughtfully.

"How can we, though, with so many new threats working against us?"

"Stop being so pessimistic, Edward." Bella interceded. Edward turned to look into her equally worried eyes. "I understand that we're facing something that we aren't familiar with, but for the sake of Renesmee, we must _try._"

Edward shook his head, unconvinced. "This just doesn't make any sense. The more I think about it, the less sense _any _of this makes—I mean, why was Professor Xavier unable to sense this mutant's presence, yet fully capable of reading my mind? Wouldn't it be easier for him to hear a mutant than a vampire?"

"You make a good point," Xavier answered, wheeling himself to where the three vampires sat. "I realize that the situation is a bit perplexing, but my guess is that because our gifts are so similar, we are able to communicate easily. This is common with telepaths."

"Still," Edward pressed, "wouldn't I have heard the faulty Rosalie's thoughts? Back at the house—Alice was having a vision of some sort, but the images depicted in her mind were hazy. As if for one moment she saw a vampire, and then next she saw nothing."

"I'm still oblivious as to why I couldn't sense Mystique—my guess is as good as yours. I couldn't hear Rogue earlier tonight, either. If she had received my thought projections, I doubt the incident with the real Rosalie would have occurred." explained Xavier. "And as for Alice, she and I have similar qualities—which also provides for similar defects. If I was unable to detect a foreign mutant in a room full of vampires, I'm sure she wouldn't be able to envision a vampire in a room full of mutants, especially if that vampire was actually a mutant in disguise."

"That's confusing," Bella sighed, scratching her head.

Edward pondered the Professor's words for a moment. He looked at Carlisle, hearing something in his thoughts. "You're right, Carlisle—all of this intermingled confusion could have been caused by Bella's shield."

The Professor perked up. "A shield?"

"Of course," Edward continued, looking a bit more animate, "Bella had her shield surrounding the house when Rogue arrived—that would explain your inability to transmit your thoughts, Xavier. Though Bella retracted her shield upon your arrival, it takes awhile to wear off—this would provide the mutant Mystique time to fool everyone by posing as Rosalie."

"Which would mean that Mystique knew what she was doing, as always." said the Professor regrettably. "Leave it to Mystique to fool both a mutant and a vampire." He delicately massaged his temples in an attempt to think.

"And plus, with a mutant disguised as a vampire, I imagine this would have discombobulated your telepathy, professor—including Alice's and my own." agreed Edward, feeling foolish for not realizing this sooner. "I imagine Renesmee's gifts only made it worse."

The Professor looked interested once again. "What exactly do your daughter's gifts entail?"

"Renesmee's gifts are the opposite of ours," Edward began, gesturing to himself and then to Bella before continuing, "She can project her thoughts through a simple touch, as well as the thoughts of others. What's going on through her mind will be projected into the person's mind that she touched. And since Renesmee is able to share her thoughts with Bella, we have reason to believe that she can also depower mental force fields."

Xavier looked baffled.

"What power," he spoke softly, almost under his breath. "This must have been what Cerebro had detected."

"Cerebro?" Edward asked.

"Yes," replied Xavier, "Cerebro is a mutant-locating computer. It picked up Renesmee's energy levels because they were so great. Though she is half-vampire, she is also half-human—making her a mutant of sorts. Your daughter's power—though as delicate as it may be—could possibly become quite the weapon in the wrong hands. Mystique's intentions are far beyond my understanding, but I can assure you that they aren't good."

Edward felt Bella cringe beside him. Carlisle even looked a little scared.

"Then we must do all that we can to find this mutant named Mystique, professor." Edward said darkly. "Immediately."

*-*-*-*

Renesmee watched—more in awe than in fear, frankly—as her mysterious, blue-skinned captor took down the three massive guards with merely a few swift kicks and cartwheels. When she—Renesmee had concluded to herself that this thing that had captured her was, in fact, a _she_—had successfully disarmed the men and piled them up against the corner, she looked over at Nessie with her unusual yellow eyes and smiled.

"Come here to me, child."

Renesmee knew that she could run. Perhaps she would even make it out of this strange headquarters and farther still before this woman caught up to her. But her talents were beyond comprehension, and Renesmee doubted her ability to outrun whomever (or whatever, for that matter) the blue woman would transform herself into.

With that, Renesmee walked slowly toward her—too slow for being half vampire—until she reached Mystique, who had gathered up one of the previously unconscious guards. Behind the man's helmet, Nessie knew that he was scared—probably just as scared as she was, if not more. In an instant, Mystique had slid his handgun from within its holster at his waist and now held him at gunpoint, her scaly blue fingers lightly teasing the trigger.

"Go on."

Renesmee knew what she was doing was against her better morals, but she reached out and touched the man's skin despite this. She gasped after a brief encounter with the man's thoughts, to which Mystique smiled.

"Give them to me," Mystique ordered, and Renesmee unwillingly touched her hand to the pale blue scales along the woman's face.

Instantly, the flush of information crowded Mystique's mind:

_"It's a proven fact that the mutant gene is at its most volatile state when it first appears during puberty. This serum will rapidly age its host until they have reached full adulthood."_

_"What are you implying?"_

_"It's simple, doctor—we capture a few of those worthless teenage mutants, inject them with the blood plasma, and turn them into the ultimate weapons. Because they're mutant gene is in its first stages, it is more susceptible to accept change—and once the serum invades its host's bloodstream, it will allow the mutant to reach adulthood in a matter of minutes! Not only will their powers be at their full potential, but their physical stature as well. Think of the possibilities! And I've already gotten in touch with another laboratory in Seattle who intends on creating mutant-vampire hybrids_._"_

_"Hybrids? They're both dangerous enough as it is. You're mad!"_

_"Am I, doctor? Or am I brilliant? Think of the irony—using both mutants and vampires against themselves. It is our job to assure that we humans are, indeed, the dominant race on the planet."_

_"Nothing good will come of this, I can assure you that. Do you honestly believe that either species will keep quiet about this? They'll retaliate—and you'll be sorry."_

_"Ah! And that is where you're wrong. If and when they decide to attack, we'll be prepared to unleash their own kind against them! Vampires and mutants, fused together as one, yet only to benefit the human race! It's all quite amusing."_

_"Amusing? You're sick. I refuse to take part in such hypocrisy! Our organization is supposed to ensure the prevention of superhuman threats—not to create them."_

_"Very well then, doctor. Have it your way. Guards? Please escort our friend out of the building. Permanently."_

Even as she returned to reality, Mystique never stopped grinning.

"A job well done," she told Renesmee. With a swift flick-of-the-wrist, she punctured the guard's nose and knocked him out cold. Taking Renesmee's hand, she walked out of the large chrome doorways of the building and into the night. "Would you like some ice cream? You deserve it."

"No, thank you." Nessie answered quietly. Blood sounded nice, but she was afraid that if she asked for some, Mystique would provide it in the worst way possible.

"Very well, then. Are you feeling alright?" Mystique questioned.

"I'm okay—but, can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for?"

*-*-*-*

_"You've already caused enough damage, Jacob. Please don't make this anymore difficult than you already have."_

Jake snarled as he recalled Edward's words from earlier tonight. He and Wolverine were mounting their bikes, preparing to take off again. They had stopped at a rest station near Olympia and were now preparing to resume their patrol. Jacob was sick with worry, and prayed that they'd hear from the others sometime soon. So far they hadn't heard anything from either team. He was beginning to become angry—he wanted to do anything to ensure Nessie's safety, which unfortunately included taking indirect orders from the reeking bloodsucker that was her father. To make matters worse, Bella had left him a text message that said, simply: "Stay put. We'll find her. This is the best way to make sure she's okay."

Edward's doing.

He knew that Nessie's safety was the first priority here, which was the only reason he continued to follow this strange Hell's Angel knock-off with the sharp claws in his hands. They both traveled by motorcycle, exchanging no words unless it concerned the situation at hand. Jacob had just returned from talking with Quil via mind-link and regrettably retrieved no new information.

"Looks like your killer instincts aren't so hot," Jacob huffed, pulling on his red helmet—not that he needed it; it was merely a safety precaution Renesmee wanted him to take while riding. "We've been driving for _hours _and haven't found a damn thing! Do you realize how hard I'm trying not to rip apart everything I see within a 5-foot radius?"

"No use complaining, bub." Wolverine said gruffly. "Edward is too roused up to be negotiated with. I know there's something out here, and if he doesn't believe me, then so be it. I don't have time for stubbornness."

"Hmph," Jake grunted, fastening the helmet's strap around his chin. "You act like you've met him before."

"Once."

Jacob looked a little confused, but still let out a husky chuckle. "Well, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who wants to rip him to pieces at the moment."

"You're nothing like Ephraim," Wolverine responded bluntly.

"Huh?" the statement caught Jacob off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"I remember Ephraim Black being a lot less . . . temperamental," continued Wolverine, running his gloved hand through his thick, black mane. "And a lot quieter, too."

"How do you know my great-grandfather?" Jacob pressed, looking a bit puzzled.

"Long story," Wolverine said, pulling on his helmet now. "Just be aware that my 'killer instincts' are a lot older than yours, kid—and I _know _something's up around here."

As if to prove Wolverine correct, a foreign scent invaded Jacob's nostrils, stinging his nose as he inhaled it. This smell was unlike anything he'd encountered before, and he immediately looked every which way to find its origin. Beside him, he could see Wolverine take off his helmet and intake the air as well.

"You smell that too, kid?" he asked, extending his claws. They pierced the air, making a _snikt _sound as they appeared. Jake felt a tremor slam into his chest.

"S'not a leech," Jacob said confidently, dismounting his bike.

"Not a mutant, either." Wolverine confirmed. He got off his bike, too, and scanned the nearby forest with his eyes. The crunch of leaves and sticks under his feet was the only sound to break the silence of the night.

Jacob wasn't sure where the bullet came from—or who had shot it—but what he _did_ see was Wolverine turning to slice it in midair before it was able to reach him.

The _clink clink clink _of three more bullets being slashed followed the first, and Jacob instantly leapt forward, bursting out of his clothes as he phased into his wolf form. He attempted to find where the bullets were coming from, but Wolverine was abruptly slammed into him, knocking them both into the trunk of a nearby tree. Jake winced at the pain—he felt like two hundred pounds of metal had just been flung against him by some sort of steroid-using professional athlete.

Or worse—a vampire.

Wolverine recovered quickly and was back on his feet, charging after a darkened figure in the forest. Jake got back up on all fours and growled menacingly, prepared for another attack. He sensed no oncoming threats, but the blast of concrete—at least that's what it felt like—that crashed into his side said otherwise.

Jacob rolled a couple of times against the damp ground before he gained the upper-hand, pinning his attacker against the earth. His sharp teeth snapped at the air, searching for flesh, bone—anything they could find—but a critical blow to his muzzle had him whimper out in anguish. He was sent flying across the air and landed against the ground with a deafening thud. He regained his stability and stood erect, a fierce growl ripping through his throat.

Wolverine was preoccupied with his combatant, who still remained a moving shadow in the darkness—Jake still hadn't gotten a clear glimpse of his foe, relying only on its scent to predict the next onslaught. He watched as Logan expertly sliced his claws through the air, only to have his opponent duck, dodge, and twirl in evasion. The movements of the shadow were incredibly graceful and sharp, and when it struck, its attacks were swift and deadly—almost professional.

The snapping of tree bark broke through Jacob's trance—as he turned to face his seemingly invisible adversary, the wood smashed into the side of his face and sent him flying back once again. Jake felt himself take down Wolverine for a second time as he soared sideways; they both landed in a heap against the trunk of another tree.

"_Oof!_" grunted Wolverine as his head slammed back against Jake's colossal form. His eyes narrowed in anger at the approaching shadows, and he shook away the pain that stung his body to regain assertion. Jacob licked the fresh cuts and gashes that occupied his fur as he stood up again, poised for another attack.

Wolverine snarled as he got back up on his feet, his six mighty claws shimmering threateningly in the darkness. Jacob's fearsome bark surely would have been heard from miles away as they stood firmly at each other's side. Both canine creatures continued to exert untamed growls—sounds that certainly would have sent shivers through any human's spine—as the oncoming hostiles were defined in the moonlight.

Despite being in his wolf-form, Jacob rolled his dark eyes, dumbfounded, as the two approaching individuals became entirely visible. Too bad the creatures that faced them now were anything but human, huh?

*-*-*-*

_That's all for now! I hope you guys liked it. Please review!_


	6. Adrenaline

_Hey readers. Thanks so much for the feedback on the last chapter—especially to __**RogueNya**__, __**Bdbelley**__, and __**Carlisle'sCoven**__, who __all left great reviews for Chapter 5. You guys are the best._

_This chapter isn't nearly as good as I would've liked it to have been; it jumps around a lot, just so you all can get an idea of what everyone is doing. I was too lazy to write a descriptive fight scene in this one, so expect more action in upcoming chapters._

_Thanks for all your support. Please review! _

Chapter Six:

_It was dark, save for the sole dimly-lit lamp that hung above her head._

_Her surroundings were a blur; shadows scattered her vision, casting themselves about the cold room where she sat. She felt an ache in her neck as she took notice of her position in a metal chair—her arms were restrained behind it, pinned down by something strong and foreign. Her legs were adjusted in the same manner, only in front of the chair, her knees so close together that it almost hurt._

_The freezing temperature here was unbearable; she wished for something warm—a jacket sounded nice. A snug, form-fitting jacket, like the one she vaguely remembered seeing on a woman sometime before. She tried her hardest to remember exactly where she had seen this woman, but her mind was blank. _

_She lifted her head up. Where was she? How did she get here? _Who _was she?_

_And why the hell was it so cold?_

_An awkward feeling intruded the woman's body then, beginning at her feet and working itself upward, spreading itself further—manifesting her body in mere seconds. It wasn't painful. . . No, it almost tickled as she felt her anatomy contorting itself, feeling the roots on her head produce a full head of thick, gorgeous blonde hair. It fell on either side of her face in bountiful curls._

_Her ears weren't so cold anymore. Her legs followed suit; in fact, the temperature seemed to have changed dramatically. The goose-bumps that previously covered her body seemed to have vanished—or maybe they had just been covered up. She now noticed jeans covering her thighs, and felt the woolly texture of a sweater against her torso. The jacket she had remembered was now fastened around her, hugging her close. Somehow her arms were covered, too, and she felt her formerly bare feet protected by the comfort of socks and shoes._

_"Mystique."_

_She jumped then, startled, and felt her body snap back into its original form. Gone were the blonde curls and the comfy jacket—she sat, again, in her naked form. The chill of the room invaded her once more. In an instant the blonde human girl that she had remembered was replaced with the strange blue creature with the mysterious yellow eyes._

_"Mystique," called the voice again, "who did this to you?"_

_Though the voice emitted a concerned tone, the woman in the chair was still unaware of its origin. She looked around for its source curiously, feeling no reason to fear it . . . yet._

_"Mystique," it came again, this time more cross than before, "answer me."_

_"I don't—I don't know. . ." she answered honestly, trailing off; her throat felt scratchy and dry._

_A dark figure emerged from the shadows, its face partially hidden behind an odd-looking helmet. A long, dark cloak covered its form. From the broadness of the silhouette's shoulders and the authoritative masculinity prominent in its voice, Mystique knew that it was a man._

_"You don't remember who I am, do you?" he asked, concerned._

_"I don't remember anything." Mystique said flatly. _

_"Well, for one thing, your name is Raven Darkhölme—however, I prefer to call you Mystique." the voice explained kindly. "My name is Eric; I'm your friend, dear."_

_He walked closer until Mystique could distinguish his facial features; he was an older man, that much was certain, even behind the mask. He smiled an age-old smile, a friendly one. She felt safe in his presence, but was still unsure as to why she was restrained to the chair._

_"Mystique?" she questioned. She distantly focused her eyes on the scaly blue skin that covered her body, trying to understand why anyone would want to call someone such a strange name. Then again, she also wondered exactly why she was covered in a mass of blue scales. "What's—what's wrong with me?" _

_Eric walked closer and stroked her face with his gloved hand delicately; it was a fatherly gesture, a gesture of kindness. "Nothing is _wrong _with you, my dear, other than the fact that your memory has been stolen and you were almost killed." He chuckled._

_Mystique smiled back. He obviously meant well._

_"I'm going to help you regain your memory," Eric added. "You're a mutant, Mystique—you have very special gifts. They'll enable you to gain your memory back."_

_"How so?" _

_"Simple."_

*

Renesmee looked up at Mystique as she pulled away from the memory. They sat beside one another in a dark limousine as it drove down a deserted highway; she had briefly wondered if the two of them would ever reach their destination before accidentally being sucked into the vision in Mystique's mind. She pulled her hand away from where it lay in Mystique's, a bit taken aback by the onslaught of information that now crowded her mind.

"Is he part of the Volturi?" Renesmee asked worriedly, remembering the dark-cloaked figures that had visited her family once upon a time; the thought caused her to shudder.

"No," Mystique answered quietly. "I don't think the Volturi would befriend someone like _me_, do you?" She smirked.

"I suppose not." Nessie sighed. "Is he the one who sent you to find me?"

"Not entirely," Mystique replied honestly, "merely the one who prompted me to."

"Why?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"I don't understand why you need me here; couldn't you have just changed yourself to look like me?" Renesmee pressed.

"Perhaps," Mystique said, "but you're a very special little girl. You'll need to help me like you did earlier."

Nessie pouted. "I'm not sure if I like helping you—I just want to go home."

"There won't be a home for you to go back to if you don't help me," Mystique explained crossly.

"What do you mean? Where is my family?" Renesmee felt herself beginning to panic.

Mystique looked down at Renesmee, her serpent-like eyes hard and severe. "You must have patience—I assure you that your family will be fine, so long as you do as you're told. Understand?"

"Yes," Renesmee answered reluctantly. The majority of their conversations tonight had ended this way.

"Good."

Muffled city lights attempted to break through the limousine's tinted glass windows as it was introduced to Seattle's busy streets. The black velvet sky was challenged by the brightness of the tall buildings erecting from the earth. Renesmee remembered Jacob promising to bring her to Seattle recently—it was an exciting thought, considering Forks had gotten incredibly bland—but it brought tears to her eyes now.

"We're almost there," Mystique said gently, but Renesmee ignored her.

She could only think of Jacob, and how happy he would have been to see Seattle himself.

*-*-*-*

"Alright, so what if I smashed two Jeeps on either side of a forty-five pound bar? How many reps?"

"Too easy; I'd do however many you'd like."

"I don't believe you, Tin Man."

"I'll prove it if you want—"

"Would both of you just shut up?"

Emmett turned to Rosalie who sat next to him in the booth. He tried massaging her shoulder, but she shook it off, annoyed.

"I still don't see why we're here, Emmett." Rosalie scoffed, fiddling with the glass of water that she had ordered—merely a prop, as always.

"Hey, these guys gotta eat, too." Emmett replied comfortingly, gesturing to Colossus and Rogue who sat on the opposite side of the table.

The group of supernatural beings looked incredibly out of place compared to the quiet, homey setting of the iHop restaurant they sat at. Rosalie's eminent beauty contrasted with the utterly simple women of Port Angeles while the girth of Emmett and Colossus challenged the sturdiness of the wooden booth. Though Rogue was the most human-looking one, the ferocity in her eyes warned the other restaurant attendants to avoid the table entirely.

"I don't see why," Rosalie continued, rolling her eyes. "I mean, the metal-head looks like he only drinks protein shakes, and a few more short stacks and ol' thunder thighs over there will be popping out of her jumpsuit."

"I beg your pardon?" Rogue snapped, sliding off her glove. She reached out for Rosalie's bare arm, but Colossus caught her jacketed wrist before their skin made contact.

Rosalie looked down at Rogue's hand and rolled her eyes.

"We didn't complain while you two went and mauled a bear outside of town," Rogue said dryly.

"Oh, I'm sure you would have liked it as an appetizer, had you the opportunity. Forgive me for not sharing." Rose crossed her arms, her eyes viciously burning into Rogue's.

"Calm down, babe." Emmett interceded, stroking Rose's porcelain cheek. "I know you're worried about Nessie—we all are. But we're gonna find her; everything will be fine."

"You better hope that you're right," Rosalie replied angrily. She stared out of the window to her right and into the dark forests that surrounded Port Angeles. "If not, I'll be venting all of my frustrations out on you—and her, too, if she's still around."

Rogue lifted her middle finger in response.

"That sounds like a reward rather than a consequence," chuckled Emmett, nuzzling the back of Rosalie's head. She smiled slightly, thankful that her mate was able to make the best of any situation. It still didn't relish the fact that she was so close to losing her dear niece—the closest thing to her own child that she would ever have.

"I just don't see why we couldn't have handled it ourselves," she sighed. She bitterly looked up at Colossus and Rogue, adding, "It's not like these idiots are helping."

"You know, I'm just about sick of you, Goldilocks. Without us and the rest of our team, you wouldn't know where to start." Rogue growled.

"It's because of you and the rest of your team that we're in this mess."

"Please," Colossus cried out, giving both women a pleading look, "not another argument. I've had enough for one night."

"Agreed," Emmett approved, squeezing Rose's thigh under the table. "Besides, we don't want to bring any more attention to ourselves than we already have."

Rosalie didn't mind the numerous stares that she attracted, but she now noticed exactly how many people were staring in their direction; she found it rather peculiar that the restaurant had seemed to multiply in the number of teenage boys sitting at each table and booth since the group had arrived.

"Tell _her_," Rose added after a minute, still fervently irritated with Rogue. "She started it."

"I did not—"

A piecing shrill sounded through the establishment, cutting Rogue off. Startled, she immediately searched herself for her communicator. The sound countered the group's efforts to remain incognito as it gained a handful of more attention.

Finally unlatching the device from its X-shaped holster at her waist, Rogue held it up for Colossus to see—a flashing red dot appeared on a grid of green intersecting lines, and the coordinates were displayed below it.

"Someone's in trouble," Colossus realized aloud, retrieving his own communicator as it sounded. He and Rogue shuffled out of the booth, motioning for Emmett and Rosalie to join them.

"We have to hurry!" Rogue called as they fled the restaurant.

"Finally," Emmett said with a smile as he helped Rose out of her seat. "I've been aching for some action!"

*-*-*-*

"Professor, I've picked up Wolverine's coordinates," Storm called out from her place at the cockpit. Kitty sat beside her, adjusting a number of the Blackbird's controls that had it shifting its course. "He's activated his tracking signal—our scanner has detected three unknown energy signals along with him. They're all substantially great."

"One is Jacob," Bella said worriedly.

"And the other two?" Edward directed his question to the Professor, who still sat across from the Cullens, lost in thought.

"I'm not sure," he replied stoically, still sifting through his mind. "When Cerebro noticed your daughter's energy levels, it also located two more—I'm fairly certain that they're the same ones, which means that we need to reach Wolverine as soon as possible."

"In that case, I would advise that everyone brace themselves," Stormed ordered from the front. After correcting a few more controls on the panel of buttons before her, she slammed the plane forward as fast as it would go.

Bella dug her nails into Edward's forearms as she felt herself lung back into her seat.

"We'll be arriving shortly," Kitty giggled, looking back at the three vampires who each grasped their seats tightly, as if in fear of losing their lives—again.

*-*-*-*

"Behind you!"

Wolverine turned too late and met a concrete fist against his cheek. The blow was deafening, sending him flying backward onto the forest floor.

"Ouch," he sighed, retracting his claws.

Jacob, recovering from a blow that had hit him so hard it caused him to revert back into his human form, sprinted forward and leapt into the air—there was a ripping noise as he phased back into his wolf. He galloped to Wolverine's side and nudged him to get up.

"Yeah, yeah, bub. Gimme a sec." Wolverine huffed, allowing for a few more cuts along his face to stitch themselves up.

Intensity exuberated around the forest like a thin smoke; the trees seemed to swelter as the heat of battle ignited them subtly. Jacob and Wolverine held their own against their seemingly invisible challengers; the shapes were so fast, so incomprehensibly cunning that neither of them had yet to be seen. Most of the time Jacob had no idea where he was attacking, he was merely intent on executing. Wolverine was just as blind—only their keen sense of smell allowed for them to locate their adversaries and attempt to defeat them.

They had little success; Jacob had taken a hit so hard that it felt like thunder—another time his body was shocked and numbed, as if struck by lightning. Tolerance was something that Wolverine had little of, and his impatience had him on the ground more times tonight than he would have liked to admit.

In short, they were losing—and Jake was beginning to get nervous.

The bitterly sweet scent of their attackers weaved through the air and into Jake's nostrils. He snorted and growled, planting his paws firmly in the dirt. They were near.

Wolverine stood upright once more and extended his claws—_snikt._

But rather than another onslaught of kicks, punches, and overwhelming, thunderous hits, the sound of footsteps was heard. Quiet, soft footsteps that got closer with each stride. As if to supply a natural spotlight, the moon hung high overhead, its rays beaming into a sole crevice in the forest's coat of tall trees. The footsteps halted there, and two beautiful creatures emerged from the shadows.

*-*-*-*

The building was brilliantly lit and numbingly cold.

Renesmee noticed nothing peculiar about the inside rather than the white-on-white walls and lighting—something that Esme surely would have disapproved of. She sighed again; she missed her grandmother. She missed everyone.

Mystique walked beside her down the long corridor in the form of an Asian woman with glasses and a clipboard. She wore a white lab coat and strikingly tall heels—Renesmee felt that her Aunt Rosalie might have worn them if she didn't own them already.

"I apologize if you're frightened by anything that occurs here," Mystique said as they reached the end of the long hallway.

Renesmee looked worried. "You're going to hurt people again, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately."

The duo reached a pair of tall, sliding doors. It was impossible to see through them to the other side—not that Renesmee was interested in seeing what was on the other side in the first place. Her only hope was that the people through those doors would leave here alive.

Mystique reached up to the electronic keypad to the right of the massive doors. She pressed her palm to the scanner and the device falsely recognized her as a woman named Rebecca Chung.

"Welcome, Rebecca." greeted a robotic voice as the doors slid open.

Mystique smiled, walking inside. Nessie followed.

They stood in a vast foyer now; it was absent of anyone save for one woman sitting behind a tall white counter at the back of the room. As Mystique and Renesmee reached the counter, Nessie regrettably realized that it was the real Rebecca Chung sitting at the desk behind it.

She looked identical to Mystique—her glasses and up-do hairstyle were mirrored exactly. Nessie concluded that Rebecca Chung was probably a very nice woman—perhaps she had a family and a dog. She also felt an awful feeling in her stomach as she guessed that Rebecca wouldn't be able to see her family or dog ever again.

"If you don't have an appointment, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. Unfortunately, all of our early-morning appointments are booked. Please feel free to call before your next visit." Rebecca recited mechanically, hearing Mystique and Renesmee approach; she didn't bother to look up from the computer at her desk.

"I don't need an appointment; I'm here to speak to Silas on a personal errand."

Rebecca looked up now, evidently recognizing her own voice.

"Who—"

Renesmee looked away as Mystique jabbed her pointed hand into Rebecca's throat, breaking her windpipe instantly. She fell limply onto the ground, grasping her throat. Mystique then proceeded to hop over the counter, sifting through the computer's files expertly. She disabled the cameras with the slightest of ease before locating the whereabouts of the person she was looking for.

"Top floor—figures." Mystique grinned, still speaking in Rebecca's voice. Renesmee could guess that she had done this kind of thing before.

Still smiling, Mystique led Nessie further into the building—she noted how it looked incredibly similar to a hospital. In fact, she realized that this _was_ a hospital, or at least was made to look like one. There were a number of operating rooms and strange doors that read things like 'Genetics Lab' on the front. The worst part was that this was merely the first floor—Renesmee dreaded seeing what awaited them at the top.

The elevators, like the rest of the phony hospital building, were distastefully bland; white-on-white, white-on-white. Renesmee stood with her tiny back against the wall, watching the floor buttons highlight as they ascended. When the light reached its finally destination—Floor 16—was when the elevator came to a halt.

As the metal doors parted for Mystique and Renesmee, a mass of bullets was there to greet them.

*-*-*-*

_Sorry to cut it off so soon again, but I was in a rush to finish this chapter before I leave to visit my grandma. I won't have access to anything over where she lives, so please be sure to leave me some feedback to look forward to when I get back. Thanks so much! _


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